What are the best online streaming services for high school sports?

What are the best online streaming services for high school sports?2020-01-292020-04-10https://s3.amazonaws.com/vnn-aws-sites/1/files/2017/06/7d31da5fb5d2230f-VNN-LightLogo2017.pngVNNhttps://assets.vnn.net/2020/01/10175645/streaming-001.jpg200px200px

The Tech Review is VNN’s weekly run-down of the tech companies having the biggest impact in sports, and our team’s picks for which platforms we see as the best choices for high school athletic departments across the country.

It’s never been easier than ever to watch your favorite sports teams from wherever you are. Across college and the pros, we’ve seen deal after deal come together to make sporting events available live across the internet wherever fans may be. From the NBA announcing their partnership with Twitter to YouTube getting in on some MLB action, the live streaming industry is red hot, with names like Hulu, Sling TV, and YouTube Tv all getting themselves a piece of the pie.

For the high school athletic director, it all can be a bit intimidating. Even if there was enough time for it all, purchasing equipment, production values, connectivity, and distribution can be serious perceived obstacles that stand in the way of broadcasting your local gym to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and fans across the country.

The good news is, there are several companies that have made it their mission to make it easy for high school administrators. Some come out of the box ready to go, others require a bit of work, but there are solutions should you find yourself wanting to create live streaming at your high school. We’ve broken out our list into a few categories to help you pick.

For the AD on a budgetBoxCast

One of the lowest cost options on our list, BoxCast, comes in at only $99/month. This affordable option allows you to stream to numerous platforms, like your school website, Facebook Live, and YouTube. This simple to use solution requires onlya small box, a recording device, internet access and power. With unlimited viewers, unlimited events and high quality resolution, BoxCast is our choice for the AD on a budget. Can’t watch live? BoxCast also automatically archives all of your events so you can go back and watch at your convenience.

Video from BoxCast

The Most-Trusted NFHS Network

NFHS, and its live-streaming partner PlayOn! Sports, has partnered with 44 High School Athletic Associations across the country making it easily the most popular solution on our list.

With a one-time installation fee, and a cheap annual fee ($69), it’s easy to see why NFHS is so popular. When you factor in the set up fee, it’s slightly more expensive than BoxCast, but still very manageable. And, with their new automated production feature, it’s easy to see why they’re at the top of the list.

Whats included:

Camera unit – weatherproof camera in a single mounted unit

Scoring device – plugs into scoreboard for automated score integration into the broadcast

Desktop Computer – for production integration & video processing

Other benefits? You don’t need a camera operator, score graphics sync with venue scoreboard, and each Pixellot unit can integrate with your coaching software. Also, we can’t forget to mention that it’s free for the viewer so your fans across the country don’t have to worry about spending a penny.

If fast and easy is what you are looking for, Meridix makes the most sense. Just download the app, pick up a phone and start streaming. Great quality and simple set-up makes this a good option for an AD who wants to get started right away. The company makes its money from advertising though, and a few different reviews mentioned the inconvenience of having ads pop up while fans watch games. They can be removed by the fan at a cost.

Stream on Meridix with any device you already have

Honorable Mentions

A few other live-streaming options are on our radar too:

Mascot Media – Another free option for users

Prepspotlight.tv – Great option for archived events

High School Zoom – Free, live and archived events. Another good option